Author Interview- Blood by K.T. Rose #Horror

 

1. Do you write in different genres?

I write horror, thrillers, and psychological stories focused on haunted houses, zombies, demons, domestic suspense, and cults.

2. If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

I enjoy writing dark thrillers for their realistic edge and ability to blend horror with suspense. In Trish, I reimagined a vampire as an ordinary person, creating a gripping series.

3. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Unexpected events can disrupt even the most stable lives, and while you can't always prepare, staying open to unconventional solutions may help.

4. Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

While I cannot disclose my current preference, Riley from The Haunting of Gallagher Hotel has been a notable favorite in the past. She demonstrates boldness and courage, consistently acting for the greater good even when supporting those who have mistreated her. Despite making significant mistakes, Riley accepted responsibility for her actions and pursued personal growth and healing during her time in the hotel.

5. If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Blood is part of the Trish Vampire Horror Thriller series. The next volume, Monster, examines the background of another significant character. Monster is a dark thriller containing scenes of horror and explores themes such as gaslighting, manipulation, death, love, loss, and acceptance. It is the second installment in a three-book series that includes Blood, Monster, and Watcher.

6. What book are you reading now?

I'm currently reading Buried Secrets by A.H. Zamparelli, a crime thriller featuring Detective MacCrey pursuing a killer. As a fan of the genre, I'm finding it intriguing so far.

7. What books are in your to-read pile?

Here are the five books currently at the top of the to-read list: The Psychopath Next Door by Mark Edwards, Rosemear by Quinn Noll, When the Wolf Comes by Nat Cassidy, Sweet Pea by CJ Skuse, and The Good House by Tananarive Due.

8. When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

Hobbies: I enjoy fishing, working out, playing piano, watching thrillers and horror films, and playing video games—especially horror games like Dying Light—with my partner.

Guilty pleasure: YouTube; I watch a lot of political content as well as videos about music, cooking, and true crime. There is something for everyone on there…

9. What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

I will either finish a thriller about a grieving family hunted in the woods, or a psychological horror set in Detroit. The latter follows two teen sisters and their mother who move into a former mental hospital haunted by past patients, staff, and an evil neuro-experimenting doctor.

Blood 

Trish Vampire Horror Series 

BookOne

K.T. Rose

Genre: thriller/ dark fiction/ horror

Publisher: Kyrobooks LLC

Date of Publication: July 1, 2025

ISBN: 978-1966857006

ASIN: B0DSVNHBY8 

Number of pages: 238

Word Count: 68000

Cover Artist: Cha

Tagline: Hunger. Desperation. Terror. A mother's love knows no bounds - neither does her appetite.

Book Description:

A vampire's existence is a delicate balance between predator and pretense. For Trish, that balance includes a loving husband, an innocent son, and a trail of bloodless corpses. When her latest hunt at Miller University goes awry, leaving a witness in its wake, her carefully maintained double life begins to crumble.

Months later, Trish sets her sights on a pure-hearted professor, but his death brings unexpected consequences. Captured by the victim's vengeful cousin and her violent friends, Trish faces a harrowing choice. She must either break free to protect her family or watch her perfect life dissolve into chaos. Can she escape before her husband, Randel, discovers the true nature of the monster he married?

Blood introduces K.T. Rose's chilling vampire horror thriller series. If you're drawn to dark supernatural tales, complex characters, and blood-chilling suspense, this story of maternal instinct versus monster nature will leave you breathless.

Books2Read

Chapter 1 – Chad

 

Trish wasn’t a student at Miller University. In fact, she went to Radcliffe before women were allowed to take Harvard classes. No, she was at Miller with a different purpose in mind, and it had nothing to do with studying. She was sitting in some frat boy’s dorm room—Chad was his name—with her fangs deep in his wrist, sucking on his musky skin and careful to lick up the mess of blood that ran from the wound like water leaking from a faucet. She considered the meal subpar; it was a little too sweet for her taste. Chad had certainly eaten nothing but cookies and Jello shots all day, skipping protein and salt. Luckily, human blood naturally had enough protein and salt in each sip; Chad would sustain her for a month. Lightheaded and intertwined in gluttonous bliss, her body swayed with delight as she took him in.

Chad twitched at the shoulders as he lay on the extra-long twin bed, his body limp and lacking the oxygen needed for consciousness, let alone enough to put up a fight. Trish figured that he had been about twenty-one years old. He was tall enough to play sports, and his build was fair with a little weight around his middle. His face was empty of wrinkles, young and new, and his smile was pearly. Chad had taken the time to chat her up before they headed to his room. He said something about playing an instrument and liking computers. He certainly told the truth about that, judging by the black trombone case leaning against a desk with the biggest monitors she’d ever seen sitting on top of it. The room's small size—slightly larger than a walk-in closet—made the computer look enormous. She was surprised the tiny room possessed a closet. To keep the conversation going, she pretended to be intrigued as she shared some lies about herself. She couldn’t remember if she was Julie from the accounting firm or Tiffany from the dealership. It didn’t matter. Her meals’ backstories seem to run together anyway, making it hard for her to put hobbies, jobs, and names with the faces of the corpses in her wake. As she and Chad stood toe to toe at the party downstairs, the only thing she thought of was his sweaty pores; the chemical scent of alcohol still wafted from him as he lay on his bed dying. Trish hated the smell, but it signified easy prey, like most college boys, truckers, or, in desperate times, a person down on their luck left to dig through pub and restaurant dumpsters. They were all so easy to trap and drain.

Trish caressed the edges of the lacerations on Chad’s arm with her tongue, pushing his blood to flow into her mouth as the party raged on beneath her feet. The attendees roared and chanted, yelled for more beer, and demanded someone to take their shirt off. The voices were the familiar sounds of the naïve—too drunk and high on acid or pot to notice there was a monster upstairs.

Sometimes, Trish wondered if college students’ parents bothered to teach them the basics; namely, not to bring strange women into their rooms. But, no matter how thin and pale she looked in that dark dress, men always fell for her. Her lean figure and plump lips were effective bait—irresistibly mysterious, she was told. Still, when the police found their bodies, there was always mourning and a sense of loss for someone so young and talented. Someone that human society classified as potentially important. Chad believed that hype, having told her that he was working on a chemical engineering degree and minoring in music. He was so close to graduating and living that life. As he spoke, Trish pictured him getting married to some nurse, buying a house, and having kids, because that’s what humans did. But what Chad didn’t know—a tidbit that she decided to keep to herself— was that he was doomed to become an unhappy, overworked middle manager who flirted with the idea of sticking a barrel in his mouth. She’d seen many people like him over the last one hundred and thirty-seven years. Chad was a cliché; there was nothing special about his dreams because he wouldn’t live long enough to loathe them. In fact, Chad had done Trish a favor by curing her cramps and insufferable hunger pains, and for that, she was grateful.

Chad stopped jerking, and her belly was full. She slowly withdrew her fangs, allowing blood to drip onto her lap. She used one hand to get a tight grip on his arm, forming a tourniquet. There was no pulse, just as she expected. With her free hand, she pulled the pocketknife from her leather tote, which lay against her thigh.

Trish learned a long time ago that a murder could be hidden in plain sight. By the time prey was found, their bodies would bleed out from the wrist or the neck. It could be suicide. It could be murder. The police never really knew. Even though she had to leave Chad in his bed for everyone to find, she preferred getting rid of the corpse by burying it somewhere massive like the ocean, the lake, a construction site…a dump. She’d make the authorities look for months, years, decades, then wash her hands of the situation, because if they did find the body, there was no DNA—the biological code they used to match a crime with a killer.

She pulled the blade up Chad’s wrist, along her fang marks. The knife tore his skin in half and flooded the wound with his leftover liquids. His blood had gone syrupy and thick, tempting her to lick it dry. But it was close to clotting; it would taste bitter and have all the consistency of old, clumpy cottage cheese.

Trish laid Chad’s arm on his bed and considered his pale face. He was a different person from the man she made out with and strangled before she went in for the kill. His eyelids were at half-mast and he seemed peaceful.

She unclenched his fingers and dipped them into the new gash. Then she slid the knife into his palm, staging his body.

Then she listened. She listened hard and kicked herself for not doing so sooner. She didn’t think straight, or at all, when she was hungry, and Chad seemed reserved—she was sure that his room was empty and that no one knew about the woman that he allowed upstairs. He’d even locked the door behind them. During her quick survey upon entry, she didn’t see anything. As they huffed and made out, swapped tongues and giggled, she didn’t hear anything alarming. And as she subdued him and slurped his blood, she didn’t smell anyone.

But right then was the crucial time to listen and engross herself in her environment because she was done eating. It was time to leave unnoticed because anything could happen around them. Them, meaning humans. Them, meaning blood bags. Them, meaning food…

Trish heard a young girl vomiting outside, just below the window. She imagined it smelled like cheap vodka and tapas. The boys just beneath her feet slammed shots of what smelled like pure ethanol. A girl bawled her eyes out just next door as she yelled about how someone was a horrible boyfriend.

And then Trish heard heavy breathing in the closet. The hairs on her neck rose.

 

About the Author:

K.T. Rose is a horror, thriller, supernatural, paranormal, and suspense author based in Detroit, Michigan. She shares her passion for spine-chilling stories with readers through flash fiction on her blog. Her works include Trinity of Horror, The Haunting of Gallagher Hotel, the Netted Series, and the Trish Vampire Horror and Serial Killer Thriller Series.

Website: https://www.kyrobooks.com/

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Cover Reveal: YOU’RE DEAD TO ME, REED WALKER by Gwenyth Reitz #CoverReveal #YAPRN #PNR #RomCom

YOU’RE DEAD TO ME, REED WALKER

Gwenyth Reitz

Genre: YA supernatural romcom/ YA PNR

Publisher: Macmillan / Roaring Brook Press

ISBN: 9781250404176

Kindle ISBN: 9781250404169

Number of pages: 368

Word Count: 85,000

Cover Artist: Jacqueline Li

Tagline: They’d kill each other…if they weren’t already dead

Book Description: 

A swoonworthy YA supernatural romcom where two academic rivals are trapped as ghosts to haunt the same house. 

They'd kill each other...if they weren't already dead. 

Tessa Sinclair is a winner. Winner of spelling bees, science fairs, and scholarships. So when she finds herself unexpectedly dead in an abandoned mansion graduation party, she's none too pleased. 

What's worse, her academic rival—the Harvard-bound, Mr. Perfect Reed Walker—is there too, deceased, smug, and annoying as hell. Being a ghost is hard enough, but it's a thousand times worse having to haunt the same house with your nemesis. 

But as Tessa and Reed retreat to R.I.P in their respective corners of the mansion, a mystery begins to unfurl about the exact cause of their deaths. Though they'd rather die (again) than work together, they'll need to find a way to overcome their differences in order to hunt down a murderer on the loose. 

And should they happen to fall for each other along the way...Who ever said you can't find love after death?

Bookshop     BN     Amazon     Kobo

About the Author:

Gwenyth Reitz was born in Sri Lanka, and has since lived and worked in California, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Japan, and Mongolia. When not intrepidly exploring, she writes genre-blending young adult stories with swoony romance, mystery, humor, and heart. Gwenyth now lives with her husband and two kids in New York City, where she can often be found scribbling late into the night on her rooftop like the caffeine-obsessed night owl she is. You're Dead to Me, Reed Walker is her debut novel.

Website: https://www.gwenreitz.com/ 

Newsletter: https://www.gwenreitz.com/newsletter 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwenythreitz/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/GwenythReitz 

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Threads: https://www.threads.com/@gwenythreitz 

 

Fall Event Schedule

 

Join Me at A Festival of Oddities

Join me at A Festival of Oddities!

I'll have all of my books and art and I'm debuting a line of stickers and prints created by my daughter Ariadne of Hallowed Hues Graphic Designs & Creations.  

She's created Monsters of Michigan- a series of cryptids and creatures from Michigan myth, legend, and lore. 

The first seven designs will be available as stickers and prints at A Festival of Oddities. 

A Festival of Oddities

August 30 & 31 2025

Saturday 11am-6pm

Sunday 11am-4pm

Courthouse Square Museum

100 W. Lawrence Ave., Charlotte, MI

In the 1940s and 50s, there were so many Bigfoot sightings in the Charlotte area, a section of town became known as "Gorilla Swamp." Are there really sasquatch in Charlotte? And more importantly, if we throw them a party, will they come to it?

Come celebrate a very cryptidy YEAR SEVEN of The FOO with us! Presented by Scream Queen Productions and The Courthouse Square Association, admission to the grounds is free, and admission to the museum is just $5/person. Visit the Macabre Marketplace with over 100 peddlers of the peculiar, grab lunch on Food Truck Row, adopt a new familiar in our Creature Cavern, visit the Living Library to meet your favorite true crime and horror authors, climb inside a giant spaceship, tour the haunted Courthouse Square Museum and peruse exclusive exhibits, and so much more! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/824441193200578

Dargo - Eco-Hero! The Classic Tale by Karina McRoberts

Dargo - Eco-Hero!  The Classic Tale

Karina McRoberts

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Rocanadon Press

Date of Publication:  September 9, 2024

ASIN: B0DGKBYR3P

Number of pages:  121 

Word Count:  14,000

Tagline: Enchanting Urban Fantasy

Book Description:

AN ENCHANTING NOVELLA TO LIFT YOUR SPIRIT!

In this unique and enticing modern fairytale, a lonely young man suffers a massive defeat . When he believes all is lost, he meets with fiery fortune teller, Flame. Her plea for help sends Dargo on a crucial mission; but can he re-invent himself as a hero?

Light-hearted, but poignant, Dargo is a humorous fairy tale for adults. You can also share it with your children who care about Earth. And if they don't, Dargo will help them do so!

This hilarious and heartwarming tale has been likened to the Wizard of Oz, and will appeal to the magic in all of us.

Dargo - Eco Hero! is a Literary Titan Gold Book Award winner and has been shortlisted for a Chanticleer Fantasy OZMA.

Amazon

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZKc6lv3I8s

Reviewed by Natalie Soine for Readers’ Favorite:

 

Dargo, Eco Hero! by Karina McRoberts is by far one of the best and most unique books I have ever read, with a vitally important message.  

 

Reviewed by Thomas Anderson for Literary Titan:

 

Dargo, Eco Hero! by Karina McRoberts gives me the best kind of Wizard of Oz vibes. The author has nailed the same type of warmth as L. Frank Baum but puts her own unique spin on main character Dargo and his band of merry cohorts. I was especially impressed with the mixture of personification and metaphors found throughout the writing. The imagery she creates leaves readers breathless at times. Her writing is timely and gives voice to the environment in a way no other writer I have seen has been able to do.

 

Excerpt:

 

She threw Dargo more scowls and turned to go, when she was met by the office alpha male; he of the hot and handsome variety.

"There you are, Lucinda,” the man said; his baritone deeper than the Grand Canyon.  "C'mon, let's get back to work on this layout."

Her frown did a rapid 180. "Give me a minute, Jake.  I'll be right back."

Jake leaned languidly on Dargo's cubicle wall, staring after Lucinda as she made her way to the ladies' room. 

"Hi, Jake," Dargo greeted brightly.

Startled, Jake turned around.  His face cinched as he took in the Mad poster, now complete with tear.

"You need some new décor, pal."

"Guess so," Dargo replied weakly, not catching the ridicule in Jake’s tone; Dargo was most unhappy about the damage to his cherished Alfred E Neuman poster.

"What's your name again?"

"Dargo."

"Oh yeah.  How could I forget?  Hey, why weren't you with the guys last night at paintball?"

"Well, I had something to do.  But thanks for inviting me."

"I don't think we'll bother anymore.  You never come.  Just as well.  You'd probably get wiped out pronto."

"Really?"

God, this guy is a dweeb, Jake mused.  Aloud, he replied, "It's supposed to be a challenge, you know?  Real man's stuff."  Jake inhaled deeply, his fine physique expanding.

"OK, I'm back," Lucinda said cheerily.  She had very obviously 'freshened' her makeup.  "I'm ready."

Jake whispered something in Lucinda's ear.  Her face reddened to match her lipstick, then she sauntered back to her cubicle; Mister 'tall, dark, and extremely handsome' in tow.

 

About the Author:

Karina is an American-Australian author, illustrator, musician, scientist and theatre producer. She considers herself to be a true Renaissance woman and strives to help other women achieve the same. She states, "After all, ladies, we didn't get a chance last time!!!!"

She has written several novels in a variety of genres, her fiction is character rich and emotionally engaging, and her stories have won several awards.

Previously working as a conservation scientist, Karina was struck down by a mosquito-borne virus. No longer able to work, she turned her attention to writing fiction; aiming to inspire, encourage, enlighten and entertain—especially those readers active in social justice, humanitarian work, and protection of the Earth.  A fervent believer in the value of human creativity, Karina writes without input from artificial intelligence, and works so that her readers can “Escape to the Heights of Their Hearts and the Depths of Their Souls.”

Karina also writes self-instruction books and gives workshops in illustration, music,  and creative writing.  She lives with her husband William and dog Tahshi, near the heritage town of York, Western Australia (said to be one of Australia’s most haunted) where they’re busy re-wilding degraded farmland.

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Author Interview- The Quantum Revelations by Dr. Stuart B. Heinrich

What inspired you to become an author?

I never wanted to become an author, but I had a vision come to me for this story. It felt important enough that I had to make it happen. I wanted to find a ghostwriter at first because I didn’t know how, but eventually I had to acknowledge that nobody could write it but me. That meant I had to learn how to write.

Do you have a specific writing style?

My creative writing style is probably influenced by my technical writing style. I like to be concise, deliver something novel or educational, and write for the smartest people in the room.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

I figured out the title very early on, many years ago. It felt very natural because “Revelations” is a play on the mystery aspect of the story combined with the biblical references.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes, there are many messages and layers to understanding this book below the surface level narrative. I think those who really study it, and read my supplementary works, will find themselves rewarded.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

Yes, the events in The Deluge were actually inspired by a natural disaster that I experienced.

Is there a genre that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

Yes, but I don’t like to write within the confines of existing genre conventions. An essential motivator for me to want to dedicate the time to write a book is that I feel like what I’m trying to do has never been done before. I feel like I accomplished that with Quantum Revelations. I have a long list of future books I’d like to have time to write, and no two are in the same genre. We’ll see how it goes.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

I have a strong affinity to both Skyler and Ivan, because they are both reflections of different sides of myself.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Depending on how it’s received, there is room for a sequel. I would likely title it “The Cosmic Gardener.”

What books/authors have influenced your life?

Jurassic Park, The Da Vinci Code, and Three Body Problem were all pretty inspirational for me.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Never met the guy, but Robert McKee feels like my creative writing mentor.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Writing this book in particular felt like trying to complete a four-dimensional puzzle. There were so many competing priorities and constraints, from the laws of physics, to biblical interpretations, to principles of story, it was very difficult.

Who designed the cover of your latest book?

I had a vision in mind for the cover, and went through about four different cover artists before I found someone who could pull it off. Artem Chebokha is the one who brought that vision to reality. He’s an incredible artist and a pleasure to work with.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t ever write a book that tries to outpace reality.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

Yes, after The Quantum Revelations, which is rather dark in the way that it reminds us of the failings of humanity, I want to explore the exact opposite of that in my next book. It will be an escape to an alien utopia.

The Quantum Revelations

Dr. Stuart B. Heinrich

Genre: Scientific Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi

Publisher: Endless Tree Books LLC

Date of Publication: 7/31/2025

ISBN: 979-8-9902071-0-3

ASIN: B0F9PXS78S

Number of pages: 474

Word Count: 146,000

Cover Artist: Artem Chebokha

Tagline: What is fiction, and what is reality?

Book Description:

The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic climate crisis and quickly spiraling out of control into a dystopian nightmare. 

As everything collapses around them, two scientists struggle for relevance in their quest to build the world’s first practical quantum computer. 

They discover so much more. A mystery of physics that goes deeper than they could have ever imagined...

Amazon

Reviews

“Heinrich offers an engrossing metaphysical excursion through the quantum realm to discover the meaning of life in this contemplative debut...[His] rich, multilayered backdrop of existential food for thought propel this story to a truly transcendental experience.”

— Publisher's Weekly

 

“Science and faith combine in this nuanced and compelling sci-fi eco thriller... [that] cleverly explores and intertwines the well established science vs religion discourse in a way that, I think, does credit to both sides.”

— LoveReading (featured under "Indie Books We Love")

 

“The Quantum Revelations is a wildly unpredictable narrative with a show stopping climax, pondering the interplay of science, religion, and technology in a way that is as captivating as it is disturbing.”

— Independent Book Review

 

Science and faith combine in this nuanced and compelling Sci-fi eco thriller.

In a world on the brink of climate catastrophe, two scientists continue their confidential work to develop a practical quantum computer, but they get more than they bargained for when their creation calls into question everything they thought to be true about the laws of physics and the world around them. The Quantum Revelations is a multifaceted sci-fi story. First off we have Skylar’s quantum computer experiment, tangentially linked to his interest in “quantum scale physics. He wanted to understand what really makes the universe tick”. )

--Charlotte Walker Goodreads Reviewer

 

About the Author:

Stuart Heinrich is a PhD computer scientist with a passion for studying the fundamental nature of reality and physics. He is known for his unique theories on the Relativity of Existence (ROE), the Maximally Biophilic Principle (MBP) and Quantum Fluid Dynamics (QFD).

https://www.stuartheinrich.com  

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234819016.The_Quantum_Revelations 

Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh

Shadowed Skies

Haley Cavanagh

Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy Romance | YA Science Fiction |

Publisher: Our Street Books

Date of Publication: March 25, 2025

ISBN: 978-1803417721

ASIN: B0DV31JXS2

Number of pages: 208

Word Count: 60,000

Cover Artist: Lapiz Digital Services

Tagline: Hunted for their blood. Fighting for their future.

Book Description:

In the shadowed aftermath of global destruction, humanity’s hope takes flight on the wings of the Evol-humans. River Shaw, secluded in his high-altitude sanctuary, seeks solace after a life scarred by loss. His quiet existence is disrupted when Delene Fairborne, fleeing captivity and a dark past, crashes into his world. 

Together, they find strength in their unique abilities, resisting the sinister forces that hunt them for a cure only their blood can provide. As love blossoms amidst the chaos, they face a ruthless scientist hell-bent on harnessing their power. Shadowed Skies is a tale of survival, sacrifice, and soaring hope, where two souls, bound by destiny, fight for a world on the brink. Dive into a world where love flies against insurmountable odds.

Amazon    Barnes and Noble    Kobo

iBooks    Collective Ink Books    Walmart

Excerpt:

I wake to a muscular, silent figure looming over me, his wings casting unnerving shadows. Intelligent dark eyes scrutinize me from his smooth, brown face framed by cropped black hair and raven quills. He’s been around the block.

My guard shoots up. I’d stand, but my body’s too weak from the climb. “Your nest, huh? Sorry, I didn’t see your name on it.”

“It’s carved right over there.” He points past me to the rockface. My eyes travel over the stone, where he’d etched River in craggy letters. The carved name is so tiny I didn’t notice.

“Now you’re supposed to tell me your name. That’s how this goes.”

I blink. “Delene Fairborne. Listen, would you mind if I–– ow,” I scrape against the wall and suck air through my teeth. I clamp my eyes shut.

“Are you okay?”

I shrug the blanket off, and my injured wing flops lamely near my shoulder. River’s eyebrows lower, and he comes closer.

“Let me look.”

He stows his serrated hunting knife, presents empty hands, and crouches to examine my injury. “Relax. I won’t hurt you. Let’s see the damage.” He’s gentle, avoiding the wound and handling my feathers softly. He lightly touches the bandage.

“Dr. Lytle runs the Stockade, the underground bunker and lab where the humans imprison and experiment on our kind. His men hunted me down and shot me with a crossbow as I tried

to escape. The wound is still healing––I changed the bandage earlier, but without a spare set of clothes, I had to tear strips off my pants to re-dress it.”

“Hmm.” He examines the back with a frown. “There’s an exit wound.”

“Yeah, I pulled it out.”

“Well, that was stupid of you. You could have died if those goons pierced a blood feather.”

My temper flares. “Oh, as opposed to leaving it in. I’d rather take my chances, thanks.” My voice is hostile, though I’m grateful for his help. I still don’t know who he is or what he wants, and my mother warned me to be on my guard.

River sits back on his haunches, sighs, and meets my eyes.

“Doesn’t look good. How long have you been here, kid? A day or so?”

“I’m no kid. I’m seventeen.”

“Well, I’m eighteen. So, you’re a kid.”

“By what, a few whole months?” I snicker. “Okay. If a kid free-climbed in the pitch-black up a hundred-foot cliff to get here, I guess I’m a kid.”

After examining the wound, he says, “The damage looks fixable. Let’s clean this well to prevent infection.”

“I’ve cleaned the wound.”

“Clean deeper,” he admonishes. “I don’t have antibiotics, but I’ll try to get some. Or at least honey. Honey heals.”

He hesitates before retrieving water, then takes a rag from his pouch and soaks the cloth. With the knife still in hand, he comes closer.

“Look … You seem all right, but I’m a lone wolf. I operate solo. You have a target with a big ‘X’ on your back. I feel bad for you. I do. But you know how it is with our kind.” He gives me a blatant look, so here’s your cue to leave.

“Gee, I’d kindly vacate the premises, but I can’t fly.”

He rubs the back of his neck, agitated. “The valley’s full of drones. And they’ve got at least a dozen soldiers combing the forest.”

“I’m sorry.” I shift my eyes down. “You never asked for any of this.”

“None of us did,” he waves me off. “The soldiers are here.

I’m screwed either way.” He pauses and assesses me. “Stay the night. Then after that, I’m sorry, but you need to find somewhere else to hide.”

The night might be all I need. “Thank you.”

About the Author:

Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is a multiple award-winning and best-selling author and the two-time recipient of the League of Utah Writers Silver Quill Award in 2020 and 2024. Haley is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she’s not writing. She loves to hear from her readers and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Website: https://haleycavanaghbooks.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/haley_cavanagh

Blog: https://haleycavanaghbooks.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haleycavanaghbooks/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ambitioushales/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleycavanaghbooks/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HaleyCavanaghBooks-bg1um 

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4841648.Haley_Cavanagh